MY PERSPECTIVE, Gary Damron

We will pause our series on the Declaration of Independence, to reflect on the loss of a friend we were privileged to honor last Saturday. Charlie Harper was a lifelong resident of the Woods community and had many friends in Seward and Stevens counties. His grandmother Hawk was a great influence in his life, and a charter member of Lone Star Friends. Two other pastors and nearly two hundred friends and relatives met to remember a life that spanned more than nine decades.

Death makes us think about life, and one thing comes to mind: it’s short. God who created us knows what’s best, and He is working all things for our good, even when He says no. Even though life is short, it’s preparation for eternity, so we should live keeping heaven in mind.

Charlie was a farmer, and his family treasured the down-to-earth stories and memories embodied in Paul Harvey’s essay, “So God made a farmer.” While preparing for heaven, Charlie attended church every Sunday, worked to build and maintain the facilities, and served at the annual Ground Hog Supper for almost 70 years straight. He faithfully showed up each Tuesday, 6am, for men’s Bible study. He helped with Vacation Bible School. One favorite story is from the year he’d volunteered to help in a classroom. The teacher was called away by the death of her father, so Charlie ended up in charge of a class of 4- and 5-year-olds.

Three things stand out when thinking of Charlie’s life: he loved people; he loved his wife and family; and he loved Jesus. All three may have combined to bring him to church; his love of people also took him also to the grain elevator for morning chats, to coffee shops, and visits with people in their homes. He knew every corner between Liberal and Hugoton - who lived where, who used to live there, who their kids were - and the community knew him. He and our small granddaughter developed a friendship, and he would drop by in a pick-up, or on his tractor or combine, just to say hello. He gave her a bicycle, pink with streamers on the handlebars.

We didn’t know Charlie’s children when they were little, but we’ve been able to get acquainted with them. I learned that one of his sons and I worked together at a youth camp in the early 1980s. We also didn’t know Charlie’s wife Pat when she was the beautiful life of the party. But when we visited her at Wheatridge, most times we’d hear that Charlie had just been by, or we would see him there. A favorite memory is one day when I walked quietly to her door, and saw Charlie with her, stroking her hair. He was devoted to his family and especially to Pat.

In 2018, my wife and I spent some time when Charlie was hospitalized, asking questions and taking down what he said. He talked of his Grandmother Hawk in Liberal, where he’d stayed while attending high school. After he and Pat married, they attended Golden Plains Baptist Church, and he could remember most of the attendees’ names. Also clear in his mind was the evangelist who drove a yellow Buick convertible, and Charlie asking God to change his life. He never stopped allowing God to make Him a better man.

We never heard him brag about himself, but the reason I know Charlie knew Jesus is because he was a willing “change in progress”. He recounted to me that one time he’d told a joke that was somewhat off-color. His pastor heard it, and told him he shouldn’t tell jokes like that. Charlie didn’t get mad, didn’t ignore the pastor, didn’t quit the church - instead, he took it to God and asked for forgiveness and help. He loved telling jokes, and continued sharing “clean” ones.

He endured lonely times, and there were things he could have filled his life with. But instead, he focused on goodness - work - family - people - church - Jesus.

If we want heavenly relationships, and a life that leads to heaven, we can start now. Jesus prayed, “’Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven’” (Matthew 6:10). God can shine His light on attitudes, habits, relationships that won’t work in heaven, and He will begin taking care of them here and now. John wrote, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins...”. Then, God goes beyond mercy: “...to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

I plan to see Charlie and many other believers in heaven, restored and transformed. Another scripture reads, “Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:2-3). We do not reach heaven because we’re perfect, but because of the grace of Jesus. When we see the One who was sinless, and who in perfect love died for our sins, we want to be like Him. Through the Holy Spirit, as we yield to His presence, we’re changed by Jesus more and more.